EASTERN SHORE, Md. - The Maryland State Police Crash Team is investigating two separate fatal crashes that happened on the Eastern Shore over the Fourth of July weekend.
The first crash happened around 10:15 p.m. on Friday, July 3, along eastbound Route 50 at Mt. Holly Road in East New Market.
According to Maryland State Police, 43-year-old James Demby of Cambridge was driving a Kia Soul when the vehicle attempted to cross between a Subaru Forester and an Audi Q5 that were also traveling eastbound. Investigators say the Kia struck the Subaru before colliding with the Audi.
The Audi then crashed into an embankment, the Subaru stopped in the median, and the Kia struck a light pole before stopping in a ditch, according to police.
Demby died at the scene.
The driver of the Audi, a 40-year-old man, was taken by ambulance to a local hospital with injuries. The driver of the Subaru, a 17-year-old male, and one 17-year-old passenger were also taken to a local hospital. A second 17-year-old passenger was flown by the Maryland State Police Aviation Command to a trauma center for treatment.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The second fatal crash happened around 9:45 a.m. Saturday, July 4, on southbound U.S. Route 301 at Roberts Station Road in Queen Anne's County.
State police say an SUV was traveling west on Roberts Station Road and, for unknown reasons, continued through the intersection and struck a southbound tractor-trailer.
Investigators say the impact caused the SUV to become pinned underneath the tractor-trailer before catching fire. The vehicles came to rest on the shoulder of the roadway.
One person, believed to have been the driver of the SUV, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say the victim's identity is pending confirmation through an autopsy. No other injuries were reported.
According to the preliminary investigation, speed may have been a factor in the crash.
Both crash scenes remained closed for more than three hours while investigators worked to process the scenes. The Maryland State Police Crash Team continues to investigate both incidents.
